The Philippine Dance Cup, the country’s first and only national ensemble and solo dance championship, returns to De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) to showcase exceptional Filipino contemporary and classical dancers.
Founded in 2008, the annual competition aims to discover and promote emerging talent, paving the way for them to become global dance stars. The event is open to participants from diverse backgrounds, including various age groups, and economic, ethnocultural, religious, and geographic communities.
Over the years, the competition has provided international grants to promising Filipino dancers, with past opportunities from prestigious institutions like the Hamburg Ballet, Ballet Conservatoire in Australia, Nanyang Academy for the Performing Arts in Singapore, Westlake School for the Performing Arts in California, and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in New York.
For the 2024 edition, scholarships to renowned professional schools in Manila, Melbourne, and London are up for grabs. Participants, including soloists and ensembles, will showcase their talents in contemporary and ballet, judged by industry experts such as Ricardo Ella, Lisa Macuja, Gerardo Francisco Jr., and Elizabeth Rae. They will also attract the attention of artistic directors from Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, the Alice Reyes Dance Company, and Philippine Ballet Theater.
The event is spearheaded by Nina Anonas, Chelo Gemina, Patricia Obial, and Miriam Madamba. Anonas, also the chairperson of the Bachelor of Performing Arts Major in Dance Program, said, “The Benilde Design + Arts Theater is the ideal venue for this premier dance competition.”
The competition is co-organized with a student-led team from the Benilde School of Arts, Culture, and Performance, providing SACP students with hands-on experience in theater production.
The Philippine Dance Cup will run from Nov. 13 to 15 at the Design + Arts Campus. Tickets are P300 and can be purchased at forms.gle/8n6QtEMJTTd7HsiL7.
